Children affected by Chernobyl disaster have fun with Peterborough fire crews

Joel Lamy

Children affected by the Chernobyl disaster learnt about firefighting and fire safety when they spent a day with a Peterborough crew.

The group of about 20 children, who are on a one-month visit to the county with the Helpston branch of charity Friends of Chernobyl’s Children, dressed in fire cadet kit, learnt how to use hoses and even got involved in a simulated exercise rescuing a baby from a smoke-filled house at Dogsthorpe Fire Station.

Living in the high radiation zone of the Chernobyl affected area of Belarus, the children visited Cambridgeshire with the charity as respite from the radiation of the Chernobyl disaster.

Firefighter Jamie Harker, who has links with the charity, organised the visit.

This is the third time Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service has teamed up with the charity, and the visit this year also included a demonstration drill by firefighters, a station tour and lunch.

Crew Commander Nick Brown, Dogsthorpe White Watch, said: “The children got the chance to experience how we train, look at the equipment we use and see what we do as a fire and rescue service.

“I believe the children and their helpers got a lot from the limited time that they had with us.

“This kind of activity is not unusual for us, but for the children it was an experience that they may never get the chance to do again. Being able to be part of this experience is very rewarding for all involved.”